Last revised on 10th Sept 2001
Name
1. This Society shall be known as the "Tangent", hereinafter referred to as the "Society".
Objects
2.1 Its objects are:
a. To promote and facilitate discussions of current affairs and socio-economic, cultural and educational issues;
b. To encourage the use of Mandarin in intellectual exchanges;
c. To cultivate interest and awareness in current affairs and socio-economic, cultural and educational issues;
d. To forge mutual understanding and respect amongst various segments of society.
e. In furtherance of the above objects, the Society may (amongst other activities) organise and hold discussion forums, dialogue sessions and publish articles, journals, magazines and newsletters for general circulation and/or for circulation amongst members of the Society.
Membership Qualifications and Rights
3.1 Membership is open to any person regardless of age, gender, ethnic background or educational qualifications, provided that
a. that person identifies with the objects of the Society herein stated in clause 3.1; and
b. pays entrance fees, subscription and other dues as required under and determined pursuant to clause 6.1 and 6.2.
3.2 Only members who are above 18 years of age shall have the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.
Application for membership
4.1 A person wishing to join the Society should submit his particulars to the Secretary on a prescribed form.
4.2 The Committee will decide on the application for membership.
4.3 A copy of the Constitution shall be furnished to every approved member.
Entrance fees, subscriptions and other dues
5.1 The entrance fees shall be determined by the General Meeting on recommendation from the Committee from time to time.
5.2 The subscriptions shall be determined by the General Meeting on recommendation from the Committee from time to time.
5.3 For retiree memberships, the entrance fee is waived and the subscription is reduced by half.
5.4 Annual subscriptions are payable in advance within the first month of the year. If a member falls into arrears with his subscription or other dues, he shall be informed immediately by the Treasurer. If he fails to settle his arrears within 4 weeks of their becoming due, the President may order that his name be posted on the Society's notice board and that he be denied the privileges of membership until he settles his account. If he falls into arrears for more than 3 months' dues, he will automatically cease to be a member and the Committee may take legal action against him provided that they are satisfied that he has received due notice of his debts.
5.5 Any additional fund required for special purposes may only be raised from members with the consent of the general meeting of the members.
Supreme Authority and General Meetings
6.1 The supreme authority of the Society is vested in a General Meeting of the members presided over by the President.
6.2 An Annual General Meeting shall be held in April each year.
6.3 At other times, an Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the President on the request in writing of not less than 25% of the total voting membership or 30 voting members, whichever is the lesser, and may be called at anytime by order of the Committee. The notice in writing shall be given to the Secretary setting forth the business that is to be transacted. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened within 2 months from receiving this request to convene the Extraordinary General Meeting.
6.4 If the Committee does not within 2 months after the date of the receipt of the written request proceed to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting, the members who requested for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall convene the Extraordinary General Meeting by giving 10 days' notice to voting members setting forth the business to be transacted and simultaneously posting the agenda on the Society's notice board.
6.5 At least 2 weeks' notice shall be given of an Annual General Meeting and at least 10 days' notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting. Notice of meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted on the Society's notice board 4 days in advance of the meeting.
6.6 Unless otherwise stated in this Constitution, voting by proxy is allowed at all General Meetings.
6.7 The following points will be considered at the Annual General Meeting:
a. The previous financial year's accounts and annual report of the Committee.
b. Where applicable, the election of office-bearers and Honorary Auditors for the following term.
6.8 Any member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a General Meeting may do so provided he gives notice to the Secretary 1 week before the meeting is due to be held.
6.9 At least 25% of the total voting membership or 30 voting members, whichever is the lesser, present at a General Meeting shall form a quorum. Proxies shall not be constituted as part of the quorum.
6.10 In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of a General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to attend any of the existing Constitution.
Management and Committee
7.1 The administration of the Society shall be entrusted to a Committee consisting of the following to be elected at each Annual General Meeting.
A President A Vice-President A Secretary An Assistant Secretary A Treasurer 5 Ordinary Committee Members 7.2 Names for the above officers shall be proposed and seconded at the Annual General Meeting and election will follow on a simple majority vote of the members. All office-bearers, except the Treasurer may be re-elected to the same or related post for a consecutive term of office. The term of office of the Committee is 2 years.
7.3 Election will be either by show of hands or, subject to the agreement of the majority of the voting members present, by a secret ballot. [In the event of a tie, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.]
7.4 A Committee Meeting shall be held at least once every 3 months after giving seven days' notice to Committee Members. The President may call a Committee Meeting at any time by giving five days' notice. At least half of the Committee Members must be present for its proceedings to be valid.
7.5 Any member of the Committee absenting himself from three meetings consecutively without satisfactory explanations shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Committee and a successor may be co-opted by the Committee to serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Any changes in the Committee shall be notified to the registrar of societies within two weeks of the change.
7.6 The duty of the Committee is to organise and supervise the daily activities of the Society. The Committee may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the General Meeting without prior reference to it and always remains subordinate to the General Meetings.
7.7 The Committee has power to authorise the expenditure of a sum not exceeding $5000 per month from the Society's funds for the Society's purposes.
Duties of office-bearers
8.1 The President shall chair all General and Committee meetings. He shall also represent the Society in its dealings with outside persons.
8.2 The Vice-President shall assist the President and deputise for him in his absence.
8.3 The Secretary shall keep all records, except financial, of the Society and shall be responsible for their correctness. He will keep minutes of all General and Committee meetings. He shall maintain an up-to-date Register of Members at all times.
8.4 The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary and deputise for him in his absence.
8.5 The Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Society and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He is authorised to expend up to $500 per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Society. He will not keep more than $1000 in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Committee. Cheques, etc for withdrawals from the bank will be signed by the Treasurer and either the President or the Vice-President or the Secretary.
8.6 Ordinary Committee Members shall assist in the general administration of the Society and perform duties assigned by the Committee from time to time.
Audit and Financial Year
9.1 Two voting members, not being members of the Committee, shall be elected as Honorary Auditors at alternate Annual General Meeting and will hold office for a term of 2 years only and shall not be re-elected for a consecutive term.
9.2 They:
a. Will be required to audit each year's account and present a report upon them to the Annual General Meeting.
b. May be required by the President to audit the Society's accounts for any period within their tenure of office at any date and make a report to the Committee.
9.3 The financial year shall be from [to be assigned by the Registry of Societies].
Trustees
10.1 If the Society at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in trustees subject to a declaration of trust.
10.2 The trustees of the Society shall:
a. Not be more than 4 and not less than 2 in number.
b. Be elected by a General Meeting of members.
c. Not effect any safe or mortgage of property without the prior approval of the General Meeting of members.
10.3 The office of the trustee shall be vacated:
a. If the trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind.
b. If he is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of more than one year.
c. If he is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he continues as a trustee.
d. If he submits notice of resignation from his trusteeship.
10.4 Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by posting it on the notice board in the Society's premises at least two weeks before the General Meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such General Meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies.
10.5 The address of each immovable property, name of each trustee and any subsequent change must be notified to the Registrar of Societies.
Visitors and Guests
11.1 Visitors and guests may be admitted into the premises of the Society but they shall not be admitted into the privileges of the Society. All visitors and guests shall abide by the Society's rules and regulations.
Prohibitions
12.1 Gambling of any kind, whether for stakes or not, is forbidden on the Society's premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.
12.2 The funds of the Society shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court of law.
12.3 The Society shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.
12.4 The Society shall not attempt to restrict or interfere with trade or make directly or indirectly any recommendation to, any arrangement with its members which has the purpose or is likely to have the effect of fixing or controlling the price or any discount, allowance or rebate relating to any goods or service which adversely affect consumer interests.
12.5 The Society shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.
12.6 The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Society or its office bearers, Committee or members unless with the prior approval of the relevant authorities.